Brazil is already facing a third Covid wave, says Council of Health Secretaries

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The president of the National Council of Health Secretaries (Conass), Carlos Lula, said Monday that the continued acceleration in the number of cases of Covid-19 indicates that we are facing a “third wave” of the pandemic in the country. According to him, “the climbing of the mountain” is now beginning.

Lula said that the number of daily active cases has not decreased since March. The early vaccination has helped reduce the number of deaths in March and April, however, an increase in deaths is now registered. Last weekend, there was an increase in deaths in 12 states.

“Now, with the continued acceleration in the number of cases, it is clear that we are already facing a third wave,” said the president of Conass.

The level of the moving average of deaths is back above 2,000, he said, adding that this Saturday the country passed the mark of 500,000 deaths from the disease. And in the last seven days, Brazil was also the country with the second most deaths from the coronavirus worldwide, behind India.

In addition, today is the first day of winter in the country. With the onset of the coldest period in the south and southeast, an increase in cases of patients with respiratory problems is expected.

“We will already have an increase in respiratory problems as well, which should increase the number of cases. So I would like to think that we are climbing the mountain, yes, we are. We are starting to climb the mountain of the third wave,” Lula said.

The Conass president pointed out that it is necessary to accelerate vaccination in the country. Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said Monday that the entire adult Brazilian population should be vaccinated with the first dose by September.

Health Ministry data show that about 58.8 million people in the country have been vaccinated with the first dose so far. Originally, September was the forecast date to complete vaccination of priority groups.

Bolsonaro claims official Covid numbers are bogus

The president of Brazil, Bolsonaro insisted in early June that the number of deaths from Covid-19 in Brazil is “inflated” and argued that, in fact, the country might be “one of the countries with the lowest rate of deaths per inhabitant” in the world.

The Brazilian president reiterated that the numbers are fraudulently “inflated” by governors and mayors. This way, he claims, they obtain “more financial resources” from the federal government to combat the pandemic.

Read also: Bolsonaro wants to investigate if Brazilian state governors “exaggerate” Covid-19 deaths

Bolsonaro based his overcount theory upon a study, supposedly prepared by Brazil’s Federal Audit Court (TCU). Immediately thereafter, however, the TCU denied it had prepared any such report. In fact, the “study” was spurious, without any factual basis, done by a TCU employee who supports Bolsonaro; the employee was suspended. The president then recanted, saying he had been given incorrect information.

With information from Valor.

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